Sump pump remote monitoring systems and methods

ABSTRACT

Systems and methods for sump pump remote monitoring can include control circuitry integrated into a portable housing, with a backup sump pump connected to the control circuitry. The control circuitry can be powered by a line power and when the line power is not available, the control circuitry can be powered by a battery power. The control circuitry can be connected to a control panel, and the control circuitry can include a pressure transducer, the pressure transducer to measure a pressure in a fluid level sensor, and based on the measured pressure, the control circuitry to adjust the speed of the backup sump pump. A wireless controller can be connected to the control circuitry, the wireless controller for wirelessly receiving monitoring instructions and wirelessly transmitting backup sump pump status data, with the control circuitry providing an indication of the backup sump pump status data to the control panel.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a divisional of co-pending U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 13/660,779 filed on Oct. 25, 2012 and titled “Sump Pump RemoteMonitoring Systems and Methods,” the entire contents of which areincorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

Residential homes and other buildings with basements often have one ormore built-in crocks or sump pits, which are holes designed to collectwater that has accumulated around the home's foundation. A sump pump istypically installed in the sump pit to remove any accumulated water.Such sump pumps combine an electric motor with a fluid pump and areusually powered through the home's 120 VAC electrical system. Sincepower outages can occur for many known reasons, including as a result ofheavy storms, when sump pumps are needed the most, homes can also beequipped with a secondary, battery-operated, backup sump pump. Thebackup sump pump is typically powered by a conventional 12 VDC battery,such as a lead-acid marine or deep cycle battery. The backup battery isoften connected to a trickle-charge battery charger in order to ensurethe battery is charged when it is needed.

FIG. 1 illustrates a common installation of a primary sump pump 50 in asump pit 52. When installing the primary sump pump 50, a check valve 54is often installed downstream from a discharge 56 of the primary sumppump 50 to prevent flow of the water back into the sump pit 52. In theconfiguration of FIG. 1, a backup sump pump would be installed so thatthe discharge of the backup sump pump would connect into a pipe 58between the discharge 56 and the upper surface of the sump pit 52. Insuch a configuration, if the backup sump pump were to turn on, thenatural flow of water from the discharge 56 of the backup sump pumpwould be down through the primary sump pump 50 and back into the sumppit 52 (i.e., the path of least resistance). Therefore, in conventionalbackup sump pump installations, an installer must cut the pipe 58, pullthe pipe 58 and the primary sump pump 50 out of the sump pit 52, andmake sure there is a check valve at the discharge 56. If there is nocheck valve at the discharge 56 (e.g., because the check valve 54 wasinstalled outside of the pit), the installer must obtain another checkvalve, remove the pipe 58 from the primary sump pump 50, install the newcheck valve at the discharge 56, re-cut the pipe 58 to a suitablelength, and glue/attach the pipe 58 to the new check valve.

Typically, the peak demand for a sump pump is during a rain storm,hurricane, flooding or other severe weather. These weather conditionsare also the most likely to cause loss of electrical power. When a homeowner is away from home during a storm or loss of power, the ability toremotely monitor the operation of the backup sump pump provides areassurance that the backup sump pump is operating to remove the stormwater from the sump pit. Yet, neither primary sump pumps nor backup sumppumps are available that allow a user to conveniently remotely monitorthe operation of the sump pump.

SUMMARY

Some embodiments of the invention provide systems and methods for sumppump remote monitoring.

In other embodiments of the invention, a backup sump pump remotemonitoring system can include control circuitry integrated into aportable housing, with the backup sump pump connected to the controlcircuitry. The control circuitry can be powered by a line power and whenthe line power is not available, the control circuitry can be powered bya battery power. The control circuitry can be connected to a controlpanel, and the control circuitry can include a pressure transducer, thepressure transducer to measure a pressure in a fluid level sensor, andbased on the measured pressure, the control circuitry to adjust thespeed of the backup sump pump. A wireless controller can be connected tothe control circuitry, the wireless controller for wirelessly receivingmonitoring instructions and wirelessly transmitting backup sump pumpstatus data, with the control circuitry providing an indication of thebackup sump pump status data to the control panel.

In other embodiments of the invention, a fluid level sensor remotemonitoring system can include an inverted cup with a sealed top and anopen bottom, the inverted cup defining an inner air space and having aninner pressure. An inner pressure tube can extend from the inner airspace and through the sealed top, the inner pressure tube beingconnected to a pressure line connector. An ambient pressure tube caninclude an open end, the open end being positioned near the sealed top,with the ambient pressure tube also connected to the pressure lineconnector. A control box can monitor the inner pressure from the innerpressure tube and the ambient pressure from the ambient pressure tube,the pressure line connector connectable to the control box. The controlbox can include a wireless controller, a pressure transducer, and aswitch, the wireless controller for wirelessly receiving monitoringinstructions and wirelessly transmitting status data, the pressuretransducer to measure the inner pressure and the ambient pressure, andbased upon the measured inner pressure and the measured ambientpressure, to activate the switch.

In some embodiments of the invention, a method for remotely monitoring afluid pump can include initiating a remote monitoring procedure using aremote device; receiving a request to initiate the remote monitoringprocedure at a wireless controller, the wireless controller a componentof the fluid pump; providing a pulse width modulated signal to the fluidpump to run the pump at a predetermined speed; measuring a pulse widthof the pulse width modulated signal provided to the fluid pump; andproviding a status indication for the fluid pump based on the measuredpulse width.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The embodiments will hereafter be described with reference to theaccompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote likeelements, and:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a traditional or primary sump pumpinstallation;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a Battery Backup Unit (“BBU”) systemaccording to one embodiment of the invention;

FIGS. 3-5 are block diagrams of components of the BBU system of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of an alternative BBU system according to oneembodiment of the invention;

FIGS. 7-9 are block diagrams of components of the BBU system of FIG. 6;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a BBU system according to oneembodiment of the invention;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a backup sump pump installed on top ofa primary sump pump;

FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view of the BBU system of FIG. 10;

FIG. 13 is a view of an overlay usable with a BBU system according toone embodiment of the invention;

FIGS. 14 and 15 are rear views of alternative embodiments of a backpanel on the BBU system of FIG. 10;

FIGS. 16 and 17 are perspective views of a plug and socket usable with aBBU system according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 18 is a perspective view of a top portion of a pressure sensorusable with a BBU system according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 19 is a side view in section of the pressure sensor of FIG. 18;

FIG. 20 is a side view in section of a top portion of the pressuresensor of FIG. 19;

FIG. 21 is a perspective view of the pressure sensor of FIG. 18;

FIG. 22 is a perspective view of a control box usable with the pressuresensor of FIG. 21; and

FIG. 23 is a flow chart illustrating a method of operating a BBU systemaccording to one embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Before any embodiments of the invention are explained in detail, it isto be understood that the invention is not limited in its application tothe details of construction and the arrangement of components set forthin the following description or illustrated in the following drawings.The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced orof being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood thatthe phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose ofdescription and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of“including,” “comprising,” or “having” and variations thereof herein ismeant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereofas well as additional items. Unless specified or limited otherwise, theterms “mounted,” “connected,” “supported,” and “coupled” and variationsthereof are used broadly and encompass both direct and indirectmountings, connections, supports, and couplings. Further, “connected”and “coupled” are not restricted to physical or mechanical connectionsor couplings.

The following discussion is presented to enable a person skilled in theart to make and use embodiments of the invention. Various modificationsto the illustrated embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilledin the art, and the generic principles herein can be applied to otherembodiments and applications without departing from embodiments of theinvention. Thus, embodiments of the invention are not intended to belimited to embodiments shown, but are to be accorded the widest scopeconsistent with the principles and features disclosed herein. Thefollowing detailed description is to be read with reference to thefigures, in which like elements in different figures have like referencenumerals. The figures, which are not necessarily to scale, depictselected embodiments and are not intended to limit the scope ofembodiments of the invention. Skilled artisans will recognize theexamples provided herein have many useful alternatives and fall withinthe scope of embodiments of the invention.

The BBU system can provide a backup sump pump system that can operateduring a power outage. Typically, the peak demand for a sump pump isduring a rain storm, hurricane, flooding or other severe weather. Theseweather conditions are also the most likely to cause loss of electricalpower. An additional purpose of the BBU system is if for any reason themain (e.g., 120 VAC) primary sump pump fails, the backup sump pump canoperate in place of the primary sump pump.

The BBU system can include one or more batteries fully charged andstanding by for use on demand. When the sump pit water level rises abovea predetermined height, the BBU system can turn on the backup sump pumpand lower the water level in the pit. In some embodiments, the BBUsystem can continue to run or cycle on and off until there is no longera demand from high water.

During the BBU system's time of operation, a warning light can bedisplayed and/or an alarm can sound alerting the user that the primarysump pump is not functioning. When AC power is available, the BBU systemcan be recharging and/or maintaining the battery. In some embodiments,an indication and/or an alarm can be activated if there is an issue withthe battery or battery charger.

In the event of a primary sump pump failure and/or a power failure, ifthe sump pit fills to a preset level, determined by a device capable ofproviding an indication of a change in a fluid height, such as a floatswitch or pressure sensor, for example, the backup sump pump can beactivated to lower the water level to a predetermined level. The backupsump pump can continue to run or cycle on and off until either thebattery is drained or the primary sump pump is replaced, or the AC poweris restored, allowing the primary sump pump to run again. In someembodiments, the backup sump pump can be capable of pumping up to 3000GPH at 10 feet of head, for example. Other backup sump pump capacitiesare also considered for a variety of applications.

Similarly, in the event the primary sump pump fails to keep up with thewater inflow to the sump pit so the sump pit fills to a predeterminedhigh level, the backup sump pump can be activated to help lower thewater level to a predetermined low level. The backup sump pump cancontinue to run or cycle on and off until either the battery is drainedor the primary sump pump is able to keep up with the water inflow.

When everything is back to normal and AC power is restored, the BBUsystem can proceed to recharge the battery in preparation for the nextoccurrence. The BBU system can also allow operation of the backup sumppump while the battery charger is charging the battery.

The BBU system can be configured in a variety of arrangements to meetthe needs of a variety of applications. FIGS. 2-5 illustrate in blockdiagram form one embodiment of a BBU system 100. The BBU system 100 canoperate as a backup sump pump system.

As shown in FIG. 2, the BBU system 100 can include a power supply 102, abattery charger 104, a control system 106, sensor(s) 108, sump pumpdriver(s) 110, a backup sump pump 112, and an optional battery(s) 114.Each of these components work together to perform the functions of theBBU system 100, and each will be described in greater detail below.

The power supply 102 of the BBU system 100 can function to providesufficient voltage and current to permit some or all operationalfunctions of the BBU system 100 to occur without unnecessarylimitations. The power supply 102 can be protected against commonproblems such as overcurrent. In one embodiment, the power supply canserve to convert incoming wall power (e.g., 120 VAC) to an internalsupply voltage of approximately 18 VDC, at between about 2.0 A to about2.5 A, for supplying power for internal functions. It is to beappreciated that other known voltages and currents can also be useddepending on the application and available incoming wall power andhardware. This internal supply voltage can be used to supply power tothe battery charger 104 and to supply power for the control system 106.In some embodiments, the power supply 102 may not be required to provideenough power to run the backup sump pump 112 without discharging thebattery 114, with power to the control system 106 taking priority overthe battery charger 104.

In one embodiments the power supply 102 can serve to convert incomingwall power (e.g., 120 VAC) to an internal supply voltage of about 30VDC, at about 20 A, supplying power for internal functions. The powersupply 102 can be used to power only the battery charger 104 in someembodiments, as the control system 106 and other items can be poweredfrom supply voltages generated by an inverter 116 (as discussed below).

The battery charger 104 can function to charge a battery 114 in asupervised and controlled manner, including not overcharging thebattery. In some embodiments, the battery charger 104 can charge thebattery 114 in both a fast mode and a float charge mode, and canautomatically switch between the charging modes. In some embodiments,the battery charger 104 can be configured to charge two or more parallelbatteries at the same time. The battery charger 104 can be configured toprotect itself from common problems, such as a reversed or disconnectedbattery.

The battery charger 104 can sense and adjust charge currents andvoltages depending on the type of battery (e.g., Flooded Lead Acid,Sealed Lead Acid, GEL or AGM). Once charged, the battery charger 104 canmonitor and maintain a charge to assure standby power. In someembodiments, the charger 104 can power off for energy savings until thebattery 114 needs additional charge.

FIG. 3 illustrates the interrelation of components affecting the batterycharger 104. Charge controller 280 can be connected to the battery 114and a power supply 282. In some embodiments, the power supply 282 can bean internal power supply, and in other embodiments, the power supply 282can be an external power supply. The battery 114 can be connected to avoltage regulator 284. In one embodiment, the power supply 282 canconnect to a 5 VDC power supply 288, the 5 VDC power supply providing aDC voltage to the charge controller 280. The charge controller 280 canbe connected to interface 286 for bidirectional communication. Thecharge controller 280 can also provide signals to a display controller290. In one embodiment, the charge controller 280 can be a TexasInstruments BQ2031 integrated circuit.

FIG. 4 illustrates the interrelation of components affecting the controlsystem 106. A microcontroller 294 can receive signals from a powerregulator 292. In some embodiments, the microcontroller 294 can be aSilicon Laboratories C8051F360 or C8051F369 microcontroller. In someembodiments, the microcontroller 294 can perform the functions of thecharge controller 280. The power regulator 292 can regulate power to apressure transducer 212, which receives pressure data from a pressuresensor 126. The microcontroller 294 can also receive digital input frominterface 298 and analog input 350 from a variety of BBU 100 components.In some embodiments, the microcontroller can provide a control functionfor user interface elements 296.

The control system 106 of the BBU system 100 can control BBU system 100functions. The control system 106 can manage the operation of thesystem, diagnose the health and/or status of specific system functions,and can provide indications to a user of the status. The control system106 can implement logic to properly handle situations including, but notlimited to, no AC power, no AC power with water level rising, no ACpower with water level rising above backup sensor, pump systemself-test, pressure sensor health test, battery charger health test,control system self-test, and battery health test.

The control system 106 can perform a variety of functions. For example,the control system can monitor and activate the necessary lights andalarms. The control system 106 can also perform automatic self testsequences to verify that system components, such as the battery charger104, inverter 116, battery(s) 114 and backup sump pump 112, arefunctional. The control system 106 can also include a resettable circuitbreaker 120 (as shown in FIG. 12) for backup sump pump over loadprotection. A fuse or circuit breaker can also be included for batteryand/or battery cable overload protection.

The control system 106 can also perform duplex operation when two sumppumps are attached to the BBU system 100. Duplex operation can bedisabled when only one sump pump is coupled to the BBU system. In someembodiments, multiple power outlets can be provided, such that an extraauxiliary outlet can be available when using the BBU system as a duplexsystem.

As shown in FIG. 5, the control system 106 can also include a variableboost circuit 122 that can be a step-up switchmode voltage regulator.The variable boost circuit 122 can be controlled by a LinearTechnologies LTC3787 integrated circuit. In some embodiments, themicrocontroller 294 can perform the functions of the variable boostcircuit 122. The control system 106 can use the variable boost circuit122 along with the ability to sense whether the water level is rising,steady or falling to operate the backup sump pump 112 more efficiently.When using a 12 VDC battery 114, for example, the boost circuit 122 canprovide approximately 12 VDC to the backup sump pump 112 while at thesame time the battery 114 voltage can drop down to a predetermined lowervoltage, such as approximately 6 VDC. The boost circuit 122 can beconnected to interface 286 for bidirectional communication. The boostcircuit 122 can also provide signals to the display controller 290.

In some embodiments, the control system 106 can also include a wirelesscontroller 124 for transmitting and receiving data wirelessly for remotemonitoring functionality, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 6. For example, thewireless controller 124 may transmit data via the internet to anexternal website for customer interaction. The wireless controller 124can include an RF transmitter such as an antenna for receiving signalsand transmitting data to a remote device.

As shown in FIG. 2, one or more sensors 108 can be included with the BBUsystem 100, and can be capable of detecting and or indicating a changein a water level. In some embodiments, the sensors 108 can detect waterlevel both discretely and with quantitative output. In some embodiments,the sensors 108 can include the pressure sensor 126 (as shown in FIGS.4, 8, 10, 11 and 18-21) and a contact sensor 128, as shown in FIGS. 18and 21, for example. The BBU system 100 can operate with sensor(s)included with the BBU system, and/or any sensor or switch included withthe existing sump pump.

As shown in FIG. 2, the sump pump driver 110 can be capable of drivingthe backup sump pump 112 at a single speed, and in some embodiments, atleast two distinct and selectable voltages. Each selectable voltage canbe tailored for maximum efficiency, and maximum flow rate, of aparticular sump pump. The pump driver 110 can be configured to protectitself from common problems, such as a failed backup sump pump 112 orovercurrent condition, for example. The pump driver 110 can interfacewith and be controlled by the control system 106 to control the speed ofthe backup sump pump 112.

As shown in FIGS. 6-9, in some embodiments, the BBU system 100 caninclude a DC to AC inverter 116 and use a standard 120 VAC sump pump(s)130 with pass through AC power until loss of power. The pass throughpower allows the pump 130 to operate normally when 120 VAC is available.The BBU system 100 can then draw from a 12 VDC battery, for example,through the inverter 116 to operate the sump pump 130 with pump control354 until power is restored. The inverter 116 can interface with thecontrol system 106 to both provide information to the control system 106and receive commands from the control system 106. In some embodiments,the battery charger 104 can be connected to the inverter 116 and an ACoutlet 118, so that the battery charger 104 can also serve as an ACpower source. The AC outlet 118 can be located, for example, on a backpanel 186, as shown in FIG. 14 and discussed below.

As shown in FIG. 6, the inverter 116 can be capable of driving any sumppump load that operates at a predetermined amperage of continuousrunning current draw (e.g., about 15 A or less). The inverter 116 can beable to supply a momentary startup surge current of 150 percent ofrunning rating (e.g., 21 A) for up to five seconds. The inverter 116 canalso serve to convert 24 VDC from a battery bank 132 to 120 VAC, inorder to operate sump pumps operating at 120 VAC. The inverter 116 cangenerate 120 VAC within a predetermined amount of precision, and theoutput voltage of the inverter 116 can be limited to certain variationsfrom no load to full load. The inverter 116 can also provide foroverload protection in case of a sump pump failure.

FIG. 7 is similar to FIG. 3 and illustrates the interrelation ofcomponents affecting the battery charger 104 when battery bank 132 isused. Charge controller 280 can be connected to the battery 114 and thepower supply 282. Supporting circuitry of the charge controller 280 canbe modified to configure it for the 24 VDC battery bank 132. Aspreviously described, in some embodiments, the microcontroller 294 canperform the functions of the charge controller 280. The battery bank 132can be connected to the voltage regulator 284. In one embodiment, thepower supply 282 can connect to the 5 VDC power supply 288, the 5 VDCpower supply providing a DC voltage to the charge controller 280. Thecharge controller 280 can be connected to interface 286 forbidirectional communication. The charge controller can also providesignals to a display controller 290.

FIG. 8 is similar to FIG. 4 and illustrates the interrelation ofcomponents affecting the control system 106 when the inverter 116 isincluded. The microcontroller 294 can receive signals from the powerregulator 292. The power regulator 292 can regulate power to thepressure transducer 212, which receives pressure data from the pressuresensor 126. The microcontroller 294 can also receive digital input frominterface 298 and analog input 350 from a variety of BBU 100 components.In some embodiments, the microcontroller can provide a control functionfor user interface elements 296. With the 120 VAC sump pump(s) 130, pumpspeed may not be variably controlled, yet the control system 106 canstill determine how fast the water level is rising or falling. In someembodiments, if the water level is rising quickly, the 120 VAC sumppump(s) 130 can be turned on early, possibly at a slightly lower levelto get a head-start. If the water level is rising slowly, the controlsystem 106 can wait until the water level reaches a higher predeterminedstarting point.

FIG. 9 is similar to FIG. 5 and illustrates the interrelation of theinverter 116 to components of the control system 106. When using thebattery bank 132, the inverter 116 can convert approximately 24 VDC toapproximately 120 VAC, and provide the 120 VAC to the pump control 354.The pump control 354 can provide 120 VAC wall power 352 or 120 VACinverter 116 power to the backup sump pump 130, while at the same timethe battery bank 132 voltage can drop down to a predetermined lowervoltage, such as approximately 6 VDC. The inverter 116 can be connectedto interface 286 for bidirectional communication. The inverter 116 canalso provide signals to the display controller 290.

In some embodiments, the inverter 116 can be controlled by a SiliconLaboratories C8051F360 or C8051F369 microcontroller 294. The inverter116 can include six identical isolated flyback voltage step-up circuits,three producing a positive 160-180 VDC and three producing a negative160-180 VDC. These can be followed by a chopper stage to turn these highDC voltages into 120 VAC at 60 Hz with a good approximation of a sinewave. Pulse-width modulators built into the microcontroller 294 providethe drive for both the flyback and chopper stages. The microcontroller's294 built-in analog-to-digital converters can monitor the high-voltageDC, the inverter output and AC line power.

FIG. 10 illustrates a BBU system 100 according to another embodiment ofthe invention. The BBU 100 can include a backup sump pump 112 and apressure sensor 126 to be positioned in a sump pit 52, a portablehousing 134, and plumbing components 136 (as shown in FIG. 11). Thebackup sump pump 112 can be a DC operated backup sump pump powered by aDC battery 114. In some embodiments, the battery 114 can be a 12 VDCbattery and can be placed and/or stored inside of the portable housing134. In some embodiments, the DC battery power may be inverted toprovide an AC backup power to run an AC operated backup sump pump 130.

The battery 114 can be connected to the battery charger 104 via cables272 (as shown in FIG. 12) and can be stored inside the portable housing134. When the battery charger 104 is integrated into the portablehousing 134, the cables 272 can be accessed from inside the portablehousing 134, as shown, and may couple to a terminal block 274. Thebattery 114 can be a deep-cycle battery, such as a size 24 M marine deepcycle battery (e.g., Flotec model FP12V24VCC), a size 27 M marine deepcycle battery (e.g., Flotec model FP12V27DCC), or a 12 VDC car battery.In some embodiments, the battery 114 can also be a gel cell battery oran absorbed glass mat (AGM) battery. Some batteries can be provided withquick-connect cables that snap into the terminal block 274. This caneliminate a user touching live battery terminals. The various terminalscan be configured so that each device can only be connected to thecorrect terminals in the correct polarity.

As shown in FIG. 11, while conventional primary sump pumps 50 arepowered using a home's AC electrical system, the battery-operated backupsump pump 112 and the pressure sensor 126 can be installed in a sump pit52 of a home. The battery-operated backup sump pump 112 can be poweredusing the battery 114 to backup the primary sump pump 50 in cases of apower outage or other problem that prevents normal operation of theprimary sump pump 50. The backup sump pump 112 can be installed in avariety of configurations, including on top of the primary sump pump 50(i.e., a “top installation”), as shown in FIG. 11, or beside the primarysump pump 50 at the bottom of the sump pit 52 (i.e., a “sideinstallation”). The location of the backup sump pump 112 can be based onthe size of the sump pit 52, among other factors. Both types ofinstallations may involve cutting the discharge pipe 58 downstream fromthe discharge 56 of the primary sump pump 50 and integrating theplumbing components 136.

Referring to FIG. 12, the portable housing 134 can be constructed ofplastic and can include two halves, a top housing 140 and a lowerhousing 142. A spacer 138 can be used to separate the top housing 140and the lower housing 142. In some embodiments, the housing 134 mayinclude a hinged clam-shell design. The top housing 140 and the lowerhousing 142 can include one or more latches 144 to secure the portablehousing 134 when closed. Cooling can be provided by a heat sink 146, forexample, and can be integrated into the housing 134 or can be coupled tothe housing 134. The heat sink 146 can be positioned at or near a topportion 148 of the top housing 140, for example, or the heat sink 146can be positioned on or in the lower housing 142, or can be integratedwith a portion of the lower housing 142. A separate additional housing(not shown) can be included for additional batteries. In someembodiments, the portable housing 134 can include one or more handles orgrips 150 to allow a user to conveniently carry the housing.

In some embodiments, one or both of the top housing 140 and the lowerhousing 142 can include control circuitry 152 of the control system 106.The control circuitry 152 can include a control panel 154, and can becoupled to the battery charger 104. The battery charger 104 can be a 12VDC, 2.0 A battery charger, for example. In other embodiments, thebattery charger can be a 5.5 A or 10.0 A charger, for example. In stillother embodiments, the battery charger 104 can be external to thehousing 134, and may be a separate device that can be connected to theBBU system 100. The BBU system 100 and/or components of the BBU system100 can be designed into the portable housing 134 so the BBU system 100can meet industry standards for dust, water, RF and EMC, for example, aswell as shock and vibration. These standards can include FCC-Part15-class B (CISP 22), IEC 60335-2-29, IEC 61000-6-3, IEC 61000-6-1, IEC60068-2-27 and IEC 60068-2-6.

As shown in FIGS. 12-13, the control panel 154 can include additionalcontrol circuitry 156 and an overlay 158, so that the overlay 158 caninclude colors, symbols, text, and/or graphics, for example, that may beilluminated or otherwise highlighted by various indicator devices, suchas LEDs 160, to display function and/or status information to a userthrough the overlay 158. For example, the additional control circuitry156 can include a “DC” LED, an “Alarm” LED, an “Activity” LED, a “Fault”LED for the backup sump pump 112, a “Fault” LED for the battery 114, a“Charge” LED, a Polarity LED, and a “Breaker” LED. In addition, in someembodiments, the overlay 158 can include a readout display 162 as anadditional indicator of system parameters, as shown in FIG. 13. In someembodiments the readout display 162 can be a charge indicator that candisplay the state of charge of the battery 114. This can be a bar graphor bar gage as shown in FIG. 13, a seven segment display, or othervisual embodiments.

As also shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, the overlay 158 can include variousindicators positioned over buttons 164 (e.g., manual press downswitches) on the additional control circuitry 156 for the user toprovide input and/or to control the BBU system 100. The buttons caninclude, for example, a “Power” button, a “Test/Reset” button, and a“Silence Alarm” button. The control of the indicator LEDs 160 and thebuttons 164, as well as the control of the battery charger 104, can beexecuted by hardware and/or software stored within the control circuitry152. In some embodiments, the additional control circuitry 156 includesthe hardware and/or software. Such hardware and/or software can alsodetect when a power outage occurs and can automatically turn on and offthe backup sump pump 112.

In some embodiments, the indicators described above can operate asfollows:

Green power light 166 on—indicates DC power is available. Green Powerlight 166 off—indicates system is not ready—no DC power available. Noalarm. If all lights are off—system is non-operational.

Yellow pump activity light 168 on—indicates the 12 V inverter has beenactivated (loss of AC power). Alarm can sound. Alarm can be temporarilysilenced. Alarm and light may be manually reset when condition isremedied.

Red pump fault light 170 on—indicates pump failure. Light and alarmcannot be reset until situation is remedied. Reset pump breaker iftripped.

Green DC light 172 on—indicates no battery problem. Possible batteryproblems include, no battery, old/dead battery, low charge, brokencables, loose connections or corrosion in the terminals.

Red breaker light 174 on—indicates the breaker has been tripped and noDC power is available. Light and alarm cannot be reset until situationis remedied.

Green charge status light(s) 162—indicates a percentage of charge in thebattery or estimated run time remaining.

Green charge light 176 on—battery is charging.

Red battery polarity light 178 on—battery is connected backwards. Lightand alarm cannot be reset until situation is remedied.

Green test/reset light 180 on—system is going through automatic ormanually initiated test sequence.

Alarm light 182 on—indicates an alarm condition.

Battery fault light 184 on—indicates system detected a battery faultcondition.

As shown in FIG. 14, in some embodiments, one or both of the top housing140 and the lower housing 142 can include a back panel 186. The backpanel 186 can provide sockets and/or connectors to couple the BBU system100 to external devices and/or a source of power. In some embodiments,one or more pressure line connectors 188 can be accessible on the backpanel 186. The pressure line connectors 188 can connect to the pressuresensor 126 (as shown in FIGS. 18-21) used to detect a water level in thesump pit 50. Similarly, a high water alarm connector 190 may beaccessible for connection with the optional high water level contactsensor 128 (as shown in FIGS. 18 and 21).

As further shown in FIG. 14, in some embodiments, the back panel 186 caninclude a DC voltage output socket 192. The output socket 192 canprovide DC output power to the backup sump pump 112. In someembodiments, such as when the battery charger 104 is provided within thehousing 134, the output socket 192 can be in the form of a quickconnector socket. As shown in FIG. 12, the output socket 192 can extendfrom the housing 134 using a jumper 194 extending through an aperture196 in the back panel 186 (as shown in FIG. 14), or through other accessholes in one or both of the top housing 140 or the lower housing 142.The output socket 192 can enable the battery charger 104 to serve as apass-through DC power supply.

As shown in FIGS. 14-15, in some embodiments, the back panel 186 canalso include an AC voltage input connector 197 and/or a DC voltage inputconnector 198. In some embodiments with the internal power supply 104,the AC voltage input connector 197 can electrically connect to anexternal AC power supply, such as an AC outlet (e.g., a 120 VAC outlettypically capable of delivering about 15 A), using an extension cord,for example. The internal power supply 104 can then convert the 120 VACinput to a DC voltage (e.g., 18 VDC output) and provide the DC voltageto the control system 106. In some embodiments, where the power supply104 is external to the housing 134, an external 120 VAC to 18 VDCadaptor 200 (or other common DC voltages) may be included (as shown inFIG. 10) that can connect to the DC input connector 198 on the backpanel 186. The 18 VDC can then be supplied to the control system 106.

For protection from power spikes, a circuit breaker 120 (e.g., 20 A) canbe included in the control circuitry 152 (as shown in FIG. 12), and theback panel 186 can include a circuit breaker reset button 202. The backpanel 186 can also include ventilation slots 204 for air ventilationwithin the housing 134. In some embodiments, an internal fan 206 (asshown in FIG. 12) can be included to provide air movement. In someembodiments, low voltage accessory contacts 208 may also be provided,and can be accessible on the back panel 186.

Referring to FIGS. 16 and 17, in some embodiments, the pressure sensor126 can be coupled to the BBU system 100 using a plug 214 and a socket216. In some embodiments (not shown), the socket 216 can be accessibleon the back panel 186, and can include one or more pressure receivers218 on an external side 220 of the socket 216 for connection to thepressure line connectors 222 on the plug 214. The pressure lineconnectors 222 can include a groove 224 for a seal, such as an O-ring226 (only one O-ring is shown). The pressure receivers 218 can includeO-rings in place of or in addition to the O-rings 226 on the pressureline connectors 222. The socket 216 can also include signal pins 230that can couple to signal connectors 232 on the plug 214. Signalconductors 234 and an inner pressure tube 236 and an ambient pressuretube 238 can exit the plug 214 and extend in a bundle 240 until they allterminate on the pressure sensor 126, as shown in FIG. 18.

As shown in FIG. 17, the signal pins 230 can be accessible on aninternal side 242 of the socket 216. The signal pins 230 can beelectrically coupled to contacts 210 as part of the control circuitry152, as shown in FIG. 12, where a signal from the contact sensor 128 (asshown in FIG. 18) can be monitored. Similarly, the inner pressure tube236 and the ambient pressure tube 238 can extend from the internal side242 of the socket 216 and can extend to the pressure transducer 212,which can also be part of the control circuitry 152. The pressuretransducer 212 connected to the tubes 236, 238 can then measure theinternal pressure change as the water level increases and/or decreases.This measurement can be used to trigger turning the backup sump pump 112on and off and adjusting the speed of the backup sump pump 112.

As shown in FIGS. 18-21, the pressure sensor 126 can include an invertedpressure cup 244 with a sealed top 246 and an open bottom 248. In use,as a water level in the sump pit rises above the open bottom 248, thepressure cup 244 becomes a sealed pressure vessel with an inner airspace 250 defining the pressure inside the pressure cup 244 as generallyproportional to the depth of water inside the sump pit 52. The openbottom 248 can be angled, as shown, and can include one or more gaps 228to help avoid possible plugging of the open bottom 248. The innerpressure tube 236 can extend from the inner air space 250 defined by thepressure cup 244 to the plug 214 or the socket 216, for example, and canprovide the pressure from inside the pressure cup 244 to a measurementdevice, e.g., the pressure transducer 212. The ambient pressure tube 238can terminate near the top 246 of the pressure cup 244, and can be influid communication with an air hole 252 accessible on an outsideportion 254 of the pressure cup 244, for example, as shown in FIG. 20.The ambient pressure tube 238 can extend from the outside 254 of thepressure cup 244 to the plug 214 or socket 216, for example. The ambientpressure tube 238 can provide the ambient or surrounding pressure to thepressure transducer 212.

In some embodiments, an inner diameter 380 of the pressure cup 244 canbe larger than an inner diameter 382 of the inner pressure tube 236and/or an inner diameter 384 of the ambient pressure tube 238. Forexample, the diameter 380 of the pressure cup 244 can be 50 or 20 or 10or 5 or 2 times larger than the diameter 382 of the inner pressure tube236 and the diameter 384 of the ambient pressure tube 238. A largerdiameter pressure cup 244 serves to minimize any effects of the volume,e.g., length, of the inner pressure tube 236 and/or the volume of theambient pressure tube 238 on the accuracy of the pressure measurementfrom the pressure transducer 212.

The lower sensing threshold of the pressure sensor 126 is somewhat abovethe open bottom 248 of the pressure cup 244. In some embodiments, atimer 386 can be used to allow the backup sump pump 112 to run longenough to pump water to a level at least to or below the open bottom 248of the pressure cup 244 before turning the pump off. If the open bottom248 of the pressure cup 244 is not cleared, i.e., ambient air notallowed to enter the open bottom 248, over time a small amount ofpressure can remain and may leak and/or there can be absorption of someair into the water. Eventually this can cause the water level to dropand can cause the system to become uncalibrated. The timer 386 can beused to keep the calibration intact by clearing the open bottom 248 ofthe pressure cup 244 to ambient air pressure with each or apredetermined number of backup sump pump cycles.

The signal pin conductors 234 can extend from the plug 214 or socket216, and terminate at a pair of conductive contacts 258, as shown inFIG. 18. The conductive contacts 258 can serve as the contact sensor128, so that the control circuitry 152 monitoring the contacts 258 candetect that the fluid level has reached the contacts 258 and reactaccordingly (e.g., activate alarm 182).

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 21, the pressure tubes 236, 238and/or the signal pin conductors 234 can be partially or fully encasedin the protective bundle 240. The protective bundle 240 can extend to anover mold 262 that can encase the pressure tubes 236, 238 and theconductors 234 and the top 246 of the pressure cup 244. The over mold262 can serve to retain the pressure tubes and the conductors to thepressure cup 244, and can further provide strain relief. In otherembodiments, the pressure tubes 236, 238 and the conductors 234 can becombined into a fitting that couples to the top of the pressure cup 244.

The pressure transducer 212 as shown in FIG. 12 can monitor the pressurechange from the pressure sensor 126 and activate the BBU system 100 toturn the backup sump pump 112 on and off. In some embodiments, thepressure sensor 126 can be configured so that the backup sump pump 112turns on with a predetermined water level rise (e.g., 1, 2, 4.5, or 10inches), and turns off when the water level drops to the bottom 248 ofthe cup 244, so that the ambient pressure equals the inner cup pressure.

The pressure cup 244 can be attached to a wall of the sump pit 52, or toa PVC pipe 58 extending into the sump pit 52, for example, using screwsor tie wraps (as shown in FIG. 11), and can include a non-slip exteriorsurface for interfacing with the wall or PVC pipe. As shown in FIG. 18,a rim or lip 256 can extend partially or completely around the pressurecup 244 to secure the pressure cup 244 when using a tie wrap, forexample.

The pressure transducer 212 can measure the rate of water entering thesump pit 52 and then provide an output to a voltage regulator 264 (asshown in FIG. 12) that can turn the backup sump pump 112 at apredetermined speed at or a slightly higher speed than what is requiredto keep up with the water inflow. The result can be a variable speed DCbackup system designed to operate with a high efficiency. The BBU system100 can run the backup sump pump 112 at the best efficiency point (BEP)for normal operation, and can include additional capacity (via fasterspeeds) to account for larger inflows of water. The BEP is a performancepoint where a pump transfers input energy from an electric motor intofluid power with minimum losses to inefficiency. The BEP can bepreprogrammed into the BBU system 100 for a variety of backup sump pumpconfigurations.

In some embodiments, the BBU system 100 can include a variable speeddrive operable to run the backup sump pump 102 at its BEP for mostpumping conditions. The BBU system 100 can also run the backup sump pump112 at other speeds, such as when extra capacity may be needed. Thepressure transducer 212 can measure the rate of water rise, and canmatch pump output to BEP via the voltage regulator 264 (e.g., apotentiometer), unless inflow exceeds capacity. In this event, thevoltage regulator 264 can speed up the backup sump pump 112 using aturbo boost function to increase output from the backup sump pump 112.

As described above, the pressure transducer 212 can measure the rate ofwater rise or water column level within the sump pit 52. The voltageregulator 264 can control the output voltage to the backup sump pump 112based on the transducer reading, allowing the backup sump pump 112 to berun at variable speeds. In some embodiments, the pressure transducer 212can be a Freescale Semiconductor MPX5010DP. In other embodiments, thepressure transducer 212 can be a Freescale Semiconductor MPX53DP coupledwith an external op-amp to provide scaling and compensation that arebuilt into the MPX5010DP.

As shown in FIG. 22, in some embodiments, a control box 360 can beincluded with the pressure sensor 126 so the pressure sensor can be usedindependently of or in conjunction with the BBU system 100. The controlbox 360 can include a plug 362 to allow the control box to be pluggedinto 120 VAC wall power, and a power outlet, such as AC outlet 364, toallow a standard 120 VAC sump pump 130, or other AC or DC sump pumps, tobe plugged into the control box 360 to receive AC or DC power.

The control box 360 can also include a pressure transducer 366 and aswitch or relay 368 to operate one or more contacts 370. The pressuretransducer 366 can serve the same purpose as pressure transducer 212.The contact 370 can be used by a user to trigger an event, such asinitiation of an auto dialer or turning on a light (neither are shown).Various indicator devices, such as LEDs 372, can be used to displayfunction and/or status information to a user. A remote communicationfeature 374 can also be included with the control box 360.

In some embodiments, the pressure sensor 126 can be coupled to thecontrol box 360 using a plug 214 and socket 216 configuration, aspreviously described. In other embodiments, one or more pressure lineconnectors 376 can be accessible on the control box 360. Similarly, ahigh water alarm connector 378 can be included for connection with thehigh water level contact sensor 128.

FIG. 23 illustrates a method for controlling the speed of the backupsump pump 112. The control circuitry 152 can control the speed of thebackup sump pump 112 instead of simply turning the backup sump pump 112on or off. The pressure sensor 126 may be used in place of or inaddition to a float switch, to determine when to turn the backup sumppump 112 on or off. In some embodiments, the pressure sensor 126 canprovide a substantially continuous indication of the depth of the waterin the sump pit 52. By sampling the depth and comparing consecutivesamples, a determination can be made if the water is rising or falling.This information may then be used to adjust the speed of the backup sumppump 112 while pumping.

Any pump will have a best efficiency point (BEP), a speed at which itmoves the most water per watt of power. At lower speeds, the amount ofwater moved falls off more quickly than the power used. At higherspeeds, the amount of power used increases more rapidly than the amountof water moved. A pump will move the most gallons per charge of thebattery if it is operated at the BEP. However, a storm may pour waterinto the sump faster than the pump, operated at BEP, can remove it. Thefollowing method describes how the control circuitry 152 adjusts thepump speed in such cases. The objective is to increase the speed aboveBEP no more than necessary to stay ahead of the in-flow. In someembodiments, the method can be run about once per second, althoughfaster or slower is within the capability of the control circuitry 152.

The method can start at step 300. At step 302, the control circuitry 152(as shown in FIG. 12) determines if the overflow contacts 258 areclosed. The overflow contacts 258 serve as backup contacts in case of apressure sensor 126 failure. If the overflow contacts 258 are closed, anoverflow alarm 182 can be energized (step 304) and the backup sump pump112 can be powered to run at maximum capacity (step 306). An overflowcounter 268 can also be set to a predetermined time (step 308). In thisexample, the predetermined time is set to ten seconds. This is the timein seconds that the backup sump pump 112 will continue to run after theoverflow contacts 258 are cleared, (i.e., opened), to draw the waterdown below the overflow contacts 258 so that the backup sump pump 112 isnot rapidly cycled. The method can end at step 310.

If the overflow contacts 258 are not closed, the control circuitry 152determines if the overflow counter 268 is at zero or another value (step312). If the overflow counter 268 is not at zero, the overflow counter268 can be decremented by a predetermined value, such as one (step 314).The method can end at step 316.

If the overflow counter 268 is at zero, the control circuitry 152determines if the water is above the low set point (step 318). If thewater is not above the low set point, the backup sump pump 112 can bestopped (step 320). The method can end at step 322.

If the water is above the low set point, the control circuitry 152 candetermine if the backup sump pump 112 is running (step 324) bymonitoring a current to the backup sump pump 112, for example. If thebackup sump pump 112 is not running, the control circuitry 152 candetermine if the water is above the high set point (step 326). If thewater is not above the high set point, the method can end at step 328.If the water is above the high set point, the backup sump pump can bestarted (step 330). The method can then end at step 328.

If the backup sump pump 112 is running, the control circuitry 152 candetermine if the water level is falling (step 332). If the water levelis falling, the control circuitry 152 can determine if the speed of thebackup sump pump 112 is at the BEP (step 334). If the speed of thebackup sump pump 112 is at the BEP, the method can end at step 336. Ifthe speed of the backup sump pump 112 is not at the BEP, the speed ofthe backup sump pump 112 can be decreased (step 338). The speed of thebackup sump pump 112 can be decreased by decreasing the voltage to thebackup sump pump 112, thereby reducing the speed of the backup sump pump112. In some embodiments, the voltage can be decreased by about 0.5Veach time the method is run, although higher and lower voltage changesare within the capability of the control circuitry 152. The method canthen end at step 336.

If the water level is not falling, the control circuitry 152 candetermine if the speed of the backup sump pump 112 is at the maximum(step 340). If the speed of the backup sump pump 112 is not at themaximum, the speed of the backup sump pump 112 can be increased (step342). Similarly to decreasing the speed of the backup sump pump 112, thespeed of the backup sump pump 112 can be increased by increasing thevoltage to the backup sump pump 112, thereby increasing the speed of thebackup sump pump 112. In some embodiments, the voltage can be increasedby about 0.5V each time the method is run, although higher and lowervoltage changes are within the capability of the control circuitry 152.The method can end at step 344.

If the water level is not falling, and the speed of the backup sump pump112 is at the maximum, the overflow alarm 182 can be energized (step346). The method can end at step 348.

In some embodiments, the BBU system 100 can include a local monitoringand/or test feature. In some embodiments, the control panel 154 caninclude a test/reset button 180, as shown in FIG. 13. In someembodiments, when a local user presses and releases the test/resetbutton 180, the control circuitry 152 can reset any active alarms. Insome embodiments, when the local user presses and holds the test/resetbutton 180 for several seconds, the control circuitry 152 can initiate adynamic system test. The dynamic system test can start the backup sumppump 112 for a predetermined amount of time, such as about one to threeseconds, for example. The control circuitry 152 can also cycle the LEDs160.

In some embodiments, the BBU system 100 can include a remote monitoringand/or test feature including the wireless controller 124. The relativecurrent draw of the backup sump pump 112 can be monitored by the controlcircuitry 152 for the purpose of remotely determining if the backup sumppump 112 is functional or not. The pulse width of a PWM (pulse widthmodulator) 270 (as shown in FIG. 12) can be monitored, and based on thepulse width, multiple situations for alarms can be created. For example,if the pulse width is very narrow, then the backup sump pump 112 may beusing minimal current, which can be an indication that there is nobackup sump pump 112 connected or that there is an open circuit. If thepulse width is at or near a maximum, the backup sump pump 112 is likelydrawing high current, which can be an indication that there is a deadshort or a blocked rotor, for example. There can also be a pulse widthrange in the middle that can indicate a normal operation. These pulsewidth ranges can be used to trigger a local and/or remote alarm and/or afault indication, for example.

The pulse width range feedback can also be used to provide feedback fora remote software application test function. The software applicationcan be operable with a smartphone, for example, or other smart device,to access the BBU system 100 to provide an indication of the BBUsystem's operational status. The software application can be used toprovide remote monitoring of the BBU system 100 including weekly testcycles and/or alerts, for example. In some embodiments, the wirelesscontroller 124 can be programmed to transmit a response to a wirelessremote device only if the wireless controller 124 is first queried bythe remote device. In this way, the wireless controller 124 does nottransmit wireless communications unless it is first asked to transmit awireless communication.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that while theinvention has been described above in connection with particularembodiments and examples, the invention is not necessarily so limited,and that numerous other embodiments, examples, uses, modifications anddepartures from the embodiments, examples and uses are intended to beencompassed by the claims attached hereto. The entire disclosure of eachpatent and publication cited herein is incorporated by reference, as ifeach such patent or publication were individually incorporated byreference herein. Various features and advantages of the invention areset forth in the following claims.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A fluid level sensor remote monitoringsystem comprising: an inverted cup with a sealed top and an open bottom,the inverted cup defining an inner air space and having an innerpressure; an inner pressure tube extending from the inner air space andthrough the sealed top, the inner pressure tube connected to a firstpressure line connector; an ambient pressure tube including an open end,the open end being positioned near the sealed top, the ambient pressuretube (i) in fluid communication with an air hole formed in the invertedcup, (ii) extending from the inverted cup, and (iii) connected to asecond pressure line connector; a control box to monitor the innerpressure from the inner pressure tube and the ambient pressure from theambient pressure tube, the first and second pressure line connectorsconnectable to the control box; and the control box including a wirelesscontroller, a pressure transducer, and a switch, the wireless controllerfor wirelessly receiving monitoring instructions and wirelesslytransmitting status data, the pressure transducer to measure the innerpressure and the ambient pressure, and based upon the measured innerpressure and the measured ambient pressure, to activate the switch. 2.The system of claim 1, and further comprising a plug to connect thecontrol box to a wall power.
 3. The system of claim 1, and furthercomprising a power outlet, the power outlet to provide an operatingpower to a sump pump.
 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the switchtriggers an event, the event comprising at least one of initiating anauto dialer, turning on an audible device, and turning on a light. 5.The system of claim 1, and further comprising an indicator device, theindicator device to display status information to a user.
 6. The systemof claim 1, and further comprising a contact sensor positioned near thesealed top, the contact sensor including a pair of conductive contacts;and a pair of conductors extending from the contact sensor, oneconductor extending from each one of the pair of conductive contacts. 7.The system of claim 6, wherein the pair of conductors are connectable tothe control box.
 8. The system of claim 1, wherein the ambient pressuretube extends from the outside of the inverted cup to a plug.
 9. Thesystem of claim 1, which includes a plug, wherein the first pressureline connector and the second pressure line connector are integrated inthe plug.
 10. The system of claim 9, wherein (i) the control boxincludes a socket having one or more pressure receiver, (ii) the plug isconnectable to the socket, and (iii) the one or more pressure receiveris configured to interface with at least the first pressure lineconnector and the second pressure line connector of the plug.